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Stephen Curry, other NBA stars help needy overseas

It's one thing to cajole an NBA player into participating in a community event during All-Star Weekend. While that's a worthwhile philanthropic endeavor, it's an entirely different circumstance when a player

It's one thing to cajole an NBA player into participating in a community event during All-Star Weekend.

While that's a worthwhile philanthropic endeavor, it's an entirely different circumstance when a player travels to an unfamiliar part of the world to help.

It's Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry going to Tanzania and delivering mosquito nets to families trying to prevent malaria, the leading killer of children in Africa, according to the grassroots organization Nothing But Nets.

Or it's Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving traveling to South Africa on behalf of UNICEF and the NBA's Basketball Without Borders program to help transform lives through education.

Or it's Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez going to Africa with the Clinton Foundation to help provide clean water to developing communities.

"It warms my heart because we talk about the values of sports and the fact is our players have outsized influence on youth around the world and for them to recognize that and to use that in a positive way is spectacular for the kids and causes and good for the NBA," NBA Commissioner David Stern told USA TODAY Sports. "It's also wonderful for the growth of our players as well. We couldn't be happier and we don't push them into many of these things. They just do it."

Curry first got involved with Nothing But Nets in college and continued his relationship with the organization in the NBA. Last season, Curry donated three nets for every three-pointer he made, and he set an NBA record for most threes made in a season with 272, amounting to 816 nets.

"There's a tangible goal at the end of it. It's $10 to save four lives," Curry said. "It's a small commitment that has such a big impact. It's possible that you can eradicate the whole problem of malaria in Africa just like we've done here in the North America and Europe just by providing by these nets for people in those areas and by killing the species of mosquito that is carrying the bacteria."

Curry spent 2½ days in a refugee camp in northwest Tanzania, home to 66,000 Congolese refugees. It was Curry's first time in Africa.

"It's really, really heartbreaking. It's tough to see but I'm really glad I went and could bring that story home," he said. "I wanted to see the faces of the people we were helping and hear their stories. and it drove home the point of why I've been involved for so long. So many people need those nets."

Irving talked to children at schools and made in-home visits in Johannesburg, South Africa. Luol Deng, Serge Ibaka, Thabo Sefolosha, Al Horford, Jerryd Bayless and Bismack Biyombo also joined Irving on the Basketball Without Borders trip.

"My dad taught me that any time you can a lend a helping hand, lend a hand no matter how close or far you are," Irving said. "I want to give the next generations as much help as possible."

Irving echoed Curry, saying it was important to see firsthand what conditions were like for some children attending school in Africa.

"The responsibilities aren't being met," Irving said. "The schools and children need help, and the only we do that is by spreading the message."

Bosh, who enjoys traveling the world, said school kids he visited with weren't accustomed to multi-tasking and said kids were surprised to hear it was possible to get an education and play basketball.

"I explained to them how to play basketball and maintain their studies," Bosh said. "You don't have to be all school. You can be a lot of school and a lot of basketball, too."

Dwight Howard traveled to China, Taiwan and South Korea and ran basketball camps.

"Every year I go overseas is always a blessing to connect with fans around the world," Howard said. "I love teaching the game. I've been coached and trained by the best in my life, and I just want to give those kids some of the knowledge I've gained. I really enjoy spending time with kids and sharing my knowledge."

It is obvious how proud Stern, who has been at the forefront of the NBA's community work, is of the NBA's work overseas.

"In the last few years in what has been an interesting development, NBA Cares has come to define us in certain people's minds as much as the spectacular style of basketball that our great athletes plays," he said.

Bucks forward Carlos Delfino shares a moment with a young fellow Argentinian volunteer for TECHO, a nonprofit that constructs transitional houses and provides social inclusion programs for families living in extreme poverty conditions.
Endelli Marcelo, NBAE